Pig farmers in Nyamagabe District are seeing a significant increase in production, after the introduction of artificial insemination services.
This shift from traditional to modern pig farming practices is transforming the sector, leading to higher productivity and reduced losses.
Similar success stories are emerging in neighbouring Nyamasheke District, where farmers such as Pierre Mushinzimana and Louis Manirahari have embraced modern husbandry methods.
These farmers report significantly higher yields compared to conventional practices.
Manirahari, a pig farmer in Nyamagabe, once faced challenges with low productivity. After the devastating loss of 33 piglets to disease--a common risk in traditional farming--he adopted artificial insemination and saw improvements.
"Since switching to modern farming, my pigs are healthier, and the losses I experienced in 2021 are a thing of the past," he said. "This technology has completely changed the way I farm."
Mushinzimana, who now manages a herd of 50 pigs, echoed the sentiment.
"A pig which had artificial insemination can produce between 17 and 20 piglets per litter, far outpacing traditional methods, which are no longer sustainable," he explained.
The artificial insemination program, spearheaded by the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Board (RAB), has gained additional efficiency through the use of drone technology.
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Zipline, a key partner, delivers insemination doses directly to farmers. Other collaborators, such as Orora Wihaze (Raising Animals for Self-Sufficiency), have also expanded the program to districts including Nyamagabe, Nyamasheke, Burera, Kayonza, Gakenke, Ngororero, and Ngoma.
Drone deliveries have been a game changer for remote farmers. For example, it takes just 45 minutes for a drone to deliver pig semen from Muhanga District to Nyamasheke District, a distance of 180 kilometres, a trip that would otherwise take over three hours by car.
Lucia Zigiriza, Chief of Party at Orora Wihaze, emphasised the importance of leveraging technology to overcome farming challenges.
"Since our partnership with Zipline began in October 2023, 527 pigs have been inseminated in Nyamagabe and 1,543 in Nyamasheke," she said. "So far, around 6,000 pig farmers across eight districts have benefited from the program."
Dr. Claire Hirwa D'Andre, a Senior Researcher in Monogastrics at RAB, highlighted how artificial insemination's success in Nyamagabe and Nyamasheke signals a broader shift in mindset among pig farmers.
"Zipline's use of drones ensures fast and efficient insemination deliveries, even to remote areas, just as they do with blood supplies for hospitals. Farmers are increasingly embracing this technology, and it's spreading rapidly," she noted.
According to RAB data, Nyamagabe district has a pig population of 67,848, with 60% of these pigs being of reproductive age. Since 2021, about 35% of them--roughly 14,487--have been inseminated.
RAB aims to modernise 85% of Rwanda's pig farming sector by 2029, up from 20% in 2021. The country's pig population has grown steadily, standing at 1.4 million since 2018.
